Can Someone Please Help Me Interpret My Thyroid Levels?

[nostalgic]

I got some tests done today:

T4: 17pmol/L (10-22 ref)
T3: 5.2pmol/L (3.3-6.0 ref)
TSH: 2.0mIE/L (0,4-4,0)

Everything looks fine but I feel like ***t. Maybe the cortisol is to blame, haven't received the results for that yet. Could I still have thyroid issues even if the levels are within their respective ranges?

 

[paymanz]

Tsh doesnt seem to be optimal level, its a bit high.

 

[nostalgic]

Tsh doesnt seem to be optimal level, its a bit high.

But is it high enough to create insomnia, extreme hunger, shakiness, and depression?

 

[marsaday]

These are good results, but the TSH is better around 1.

Ft4 is good when around the mid range or just pushing into the higher teens. So your mid range is 15.5. So at 17 this is a good place to be.

The Ft4 to moving over into conversion nicely to produce your Ft3 number. The 5's is the place to be. Some people do better even higher, but you are converting well and have a good level.

So these results are not suggesting a thyroid issue. However a trial of T4 is always a good thing to try out if you can get your hands on some T4. Taking 25mcg T4 will tell you pretty quick if you need a little more thyroid.

Insomnia, hunger, shakiness can point to the adrenals not working so well. The daily flow may be off.

A 24h saliva test is best to check cortisol and DHEA.

What about low vitamin D or B12 ?

 

[nostalgic]

These are good results, but the TSH is better around 1.

Ft4 is good when around the mid range or just pushing into the higher teens. So your mid range is 15.5. So at 17 this is a good place to be.

The Ft4 to moving over into conversion nicely to produce your Ft3 number. The 5's is the place to be. Some people do better even higher, but you are converting well and have a good level.

So these results are not suggesting a thyroid issue. However a trial of T4 is always a good thing to try out if you can get your hands on some T4. Taking 25mcg T4 will tell you pretty quick if you need a little more thyroid.

Insomnia, hunger, shakiness can point to the adrenals not working so well. The daily flow may be off.

A 24h saliva test is best to check cortisol and DHEA.

What about low vitamin D or B12 ?

Unfortunately I can't perform a 24h test of cortisol, but I've checked the morning cortisol and it was 566nmol/l. The reference value is 180-540 so it's just slightly higher, and I dunno if that's enough to create my severe symptoms. I do take 5mg of Olanazapine each day which lowers cortisol from what I've read online. I had an elevated vitamin D level just a month ago so I don't think I could be deficient now. I get a lot of B12 each day so I think that's fine as well.

If I don't eat a lot during the day I get the following sudden symptoms:

headache
depressed
stomach pain
insomnia
nausea

 

[tara]

If I don't eat a lot during the day I get the following sudden symptoms:

headache
depressed
stomach pain
insomnia
nausea

My TSH was tested at similar levels to yours a couple of times a while ago.
I don't generally get stomach pains, but otherwise, those are symptoms I've had and associated with undereating. And the shaking was definitely a symptom of hunger for me.

 

[nostalgic]

My TSH was tested at similar levels to yours a couple of times a while ago.
I don't generally get stomach pains, but otherwise, those are symptoms I've had and associated with undereating. And the shaking was definitely a symptom of hunger for me.

But I eat a ton each day, and I'm barely active. I keep gaining weight as well.

 

[nostalgic]

My cortisol was 663 and the reference is 640. Can't edit my previous post.

 

[tara]

If I don't eat a lot during the day I get the following sudden symptoms:

But is it high enough to create insomnia, extreme hunger, shakiness, and depression?

But I eat a ton each day, and I'm barely active. I keep gaining weight as well.

I was responding to your posts referring to extreme hunger, and getting symptoms when you don't eata lot.
Not sure what you mean by a ton.
For me, there have been issues that I associate with low blood sugar and hunger. Sometimes meal timing could be a factor, especially if glycogen storage isn't great. If you haven't already experimented with smaller more frequent meals, or with eating more earlier in the day, those are possibilities you could try?
If there isn't something preventing you being more active, that might help?
I can't remember all your other posts. I guess you've considered whether you are meeting basic nutritional needs - minerals and vitamins as well as protein etc, balanced meals.
Sunlight, movement, breathing, sleep.
Could be that thyroid hormones are slightly lower than optimal, and contributing to issues. Once you've seen what you can do with making sure basic needs are met, I wouldn't rule out small cautious experiment with this.

 

[ratstrain]

But I eat a ton each day, and I'm barely active. I keep gaining weight as well.

Not surprising with olanzapine.

But is it high enough to create insomnia, extreme hunger, shakiness, and depression?

You may be experiencing a serotonin syndrome, a neuroleptic malignant syndrome and/or an SSRI discontinuation syndrome.

 

[nostalgic]

I got back my other morning blood test and I had 349 which means perfectly normal, wtf? Last time it was a bit too high. Is the blood test unreliable?

I was responding to your posts referring to extreme hunger, and getting symptoms when you don't eata lot.
Not sure what you mean by a ton.
For me, there have been issues that I associate with low blood sugar and hunger. Sometimes meal timing could be a factor, especially if glycogen storage isn't great. If you haven't already experimented with smaller more frequent meals, or with eating more earlier in the day, those are possibilities you could try?
If there isn't something preventing you being more active, that might help?
I can't remember all your other posts. I guess you've considered whether you are meeting basic nutritional needs - minerals and vitamins as well as protein etc, balanced meals.
Sunlight, movement, breathing, sleep.
Could be that thyroid hormones are slightly lower than optimal, and contributing to issues. Once you've seen what you can do with making sure basic needs are met, I wouldn't rule out small cautious experiment with this.

I definitely get all the nutrition I need now, a lot of sunlight, exercising as much as I can with my muscle pain (mostly walks) etc. I'm doing everything right. Doesn't make a difference if I eat more or less often unfortunately. I'm eating low GI since a few days back but that doesn't seem to help either.

I was hoping that the cortisol would be the culprit but maybe I need to do a 24hr test to rule it out. I don't think slightly low thyroid hormones could be giving me really awful symptoms but I could be wrong.

Not surprising with olanzapine.



You may be experiencing a serotonin syndrome, a neuroleptic malignant syndrome and/or an SSRI discontinuation syndrome.

I don't think I'm experiencing any of these since I had the same problems before starting Olanazapine.

 

[tara]

I was hoping that the cortisol would be the culprit but maybe I need to do a 24hr test to rule it out. I don't think slightly low thyroid hormones could be giving me really awful symptoms but I could be wrong.

I don't know. I've found small amounts seemed to be helpful for me. My TSH was similar to yours, but my issues are not all the same as yours.

 

[nostalgic]

I don't know. I've found small amounts seemed to be helpful for me. My TSH was similar to yours, but my issues are not all the same as yours.

What symptoms did you have?

 

[tara]

What symptoms did you have?

Migraines and associated symptoms and lack of energy have been key ones. I still get migraines, but they are not wiping me out for as long. I am also using other tactics including drugs, so hard to separate out cause and effects on this. Energy-wise, I'm more able to carry on with what I need to be doing.
I've long had a tendency to run out of steam if I don't eat very regularly. This has improved, though I still do better if I don't neglect meals - haven't got to that shaky state much for a while. I did have a serious go at refeeding (that is, in my terms, persistently avoiding acute hunger stress over an extended period), so that's quite possibly made a difference too.

 

[Wayne J]

Would appreciate some input with my tests as well - back to doctor tomorrow. He is 'into' the natural thyroid, but TPO came back elevated

on .5 grain of Nature Throid for 6 weeks now.

T3, free 3.02
t4, free .94

Thyroid antibodies 20.3

Thyroglobulin <.9

overweight, mild elevated glucose in am 124 ish, goes down after meals 2 hours below 100, most of time 80-85 range. on a low dose Losartan for BP
Thanks very much

 

[Wayne J]

Saw doc today. He reluctantly agreed to take another 1/4 grain and watch the symptoms. Started today - can take up to a couple of weeks to see results? Have seen SOME weight loss so far but have had to cut back on fat and go low carb quite a bit - well cooked veggies to help 'move' things along. Comments appreciated, thanks

 

[tara]

Started today - can take up to a couple of weeks to see results?

I can't remember what those lab numbers mean without the ranges.
IIUC, at least 2 weeks to come up to stable blood levels of T4 at steady dose. May see some change before then. So you can't know what the full effect of the dose is for at least 2 weeks, maybe better to assess after 3-4 weeks.
Personally, I seem to do well with cooked veges. Can get a bunch of minerals, and can be satisfying.
Both low carb and low fat simultaneously doesn't seem like a long-term sustainable thing.

 

[Wayne J]

re: ranges, sorry thanks - all info following - thank you. I am doing well coked vegggies as well, probably adding more carbs than I should, but. Sticking with coconut oil for cooking, a little olive for just raw carrot with apple cider vinegar, salt, a bit of mct. Am trying to see if getting proper thyroid will help melt the weight away albeit slowly but steady while keeping carbs fairly low. Trying to combat Type 2 diabetes. Got off metformin due to side effects and developing some neuropathy. Substituting Berberine, that seems to be working pretty well. Not as good as the metformin, but the BG might get as high as 124 fasting overnight, and gets in the 80's during the day after meals and exercise. Looking for a way to keep 'dawn phenomenon' down. Thanks again.

T3, free 3.02 (2.18 - 3.98) pg/ml
t4, free .94 (0.76 - 1.46) ng/dl
TSH 3.530 (.400-5.140) uIU/ml

Thyroid Antibodies
Thyroid peridoxidase (TPO) H 20.3 (0.0 - 9.0) IU/mL

Thyroglobulin ABS <0.9 (0.0 - 4.0) IU/ml

A value of 4.0 or less indicates a negative result for thyroglbulin antibodies
Assay performed Coulter Access Dx1 method

 

[Motif]

I got some tests done today:

T4: 17pmol/L (10-22 ref)
T3: 5.2pmol/L (3.3-6.0 ref)
TSH: 2.0mIE/L (0,4-4,0)

Everything looks fine but I feel like ***t. Maybe the cortisol is to blame, haven't received the results for that yet. Could I still have thyroid issues even if the levels are within their respective ranges?

still taking thyroid medications? Any improvement meanwhile ?